Simpler Recycling Regulations: Ensure your business is compliant

Simpler Recycling legislation, came into effect on 31 March 2025, and was designed to standardise recycling practices across England. The purpose of the initiative was to improve recycling rates and eliminate confusion around the recyclability of materials, making recycling processes more uniform and easier to follow. A significant focus of this legislation is the eradication of food waste going to landfill. By collecting food waste, it is processed by anaerobic digestion, where it generates fertiliser, helping to grow more food. The energy generated by this process is sent to the grid for businesses and households to use.

For more details, refer to the Government Executive Summary and Press Release on how Simpler Recycling impacts your business.

Under the new legislation:

• Food waste must be placed in a specific food waste bin for collection and recycling. Food waste can no longer be placed in general waste bins or mixed with other recyclables.
• Dry Mixed Recycling (DMR), such as recyclable paper, cardboard, metals, and plastics, can be combined in one bin.
• Glass waste must be disposed of in separate bins.
• General waste bins should only contain non-recyclable, non-hazardous materials.

This approach simplifies recycling for businesses while reducing the volume of waste sent to landfill.

All businesses, schools, hospitals, and other non-household municipal premises must comply with Simpler Recycling. Fast food retailers and businesses handling large quantities of food may need to change their processes and bins to ensure food waste is segregated appropriately.

Micro-firms, businesses with fewer than ten full-time employees, have an extended deadline of 31 March 2027. Full-time equivalent employment is calculated across the business rather than per site, meaning multi-branch enterprises exceeding ten employees are not exempt.

This initiative helps to improve recycling rates and helps to eliminate the confusion surrounding the recyclability of different materials in different regions, making the process more uniform and understandable for everyone.

A particular focus of the new legislation is the eradication of food waste going to landfill. By avoiding landfill, the food can be processed through anaerobic digestion which generates fertiliser, which helps to grow more food. In addition, the energy generated though this process can then be sent back to the grid for use by households and businesses.

Yes, Simpler Recycling is already mandatory for most businesses and will be mandatory for small businesses (with less than 10 employees) from 31 March 2027.

Businesses who aren’t compliant may be subject to compliance notices, fines and potential prosecution.

There isn't one standard bin setup for every business. You need separate collection arrangements for the recyclable and residual waste streams your business produces. The right number and size of bins will depend on your waste volumes, available space and collection frequency. This may include: general waste, dry mixed recycling, food waste or glass. We’ll work with you to find the right sizes and quantities.

Yes, food waste does need to be separated. This is one of the key changes implemented in Simpler Recycling. There is no minimum limit or quantity, and even small amounts need to be separated. This could be things like tea bags, coffee grounds, plate scrapings or fruit peelings.

Simpler Recycling applies specifically to England.

In Wales, similar legislation has been in place since April 2024 for businesses to separate their waste into six core waste streams:

• Food (For those producing 5kg+ a week)
• Paper & card
• Glass
• Metal, plastics and cartons
• Unsold textiles
• Small waste electrical and electronic equipment (sWEEE)

In Scotland, all organisations must recycle the following:

• Glass
• Metal
• Plastic
• Paper
• Cardboard
• Food waste (For those producing 5kg+ a week)

The easiest way to become compliant is to work with a reputable waste collection company, Like Hills. We can help you organise your waste and arrange an efficient collection schedule that will ensure you’re compliant. Contact us today and get your Simpler Recycling sorted.

Contamination happens when an item is put into the wrong bin, or isn’t clean enough to be recycled. This can prevent the waste from being recycled and may even damage machinery. If there is contamination, waste collectors may refuse collection. 

Regardless of how much waste your business produces, if it has to comply with Simpler Recycling, it needs to be separated correctly. We can work to arrange suitable bins and a collection frequency that suits the amount of waste your business is generating.

 This is a common query. Despite being a tenant, you still have a responsibility to ensure waste from your business is following Simpler Recycling guidelines. You should contact the landlord to determine which waste streams are being collected and ensure your business waste is properly separated.

 If your business operates from multiple sites, the number of employees is considered across the business rather than separately at each location. A business with fewer than 10 employees at each of several sites may still need to comply if its total full-time equivalent workforce is 10 or more. Each site will need appropriate waste separation and collection arrangements.